Crankcase vapor recycle system



Jan. 15, 1963 R. c. BARKER cRANKcAsE VAPOR RECYCLE SYSTEM Filed April 5, 1962 INVENTOR.

RAY C. BARKER ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,073,293 CRANKCASE VAPOR RECYCLE SYSTEM Ray C. Barker, 1663 N. Clarence, Wichita, Kans. Filed Apr. 5, 1962, Ser. No. 185,469 7 Claims. (Cl. 123-119) This invention relates to crankcase vapor recycle systems. More particularly, this invention relates to a system for recycling the breather vapors of an internal combustion engine, especially the type engine utilized for automobiles and trucks. Still more particularly, the invention relates to a crankcase vapor recycle system for use on an automobile or truck type engine wherein the crankcase vapor is conducted to a separator where entrained liquids are extracted and from thence lto the engine carburetor intake, including means of disposing of the extracted liquids.

It is well known that crankcase vapors, which exhaust out of the crankcase of an internal combustion engine, contain burned and unburned fuel. As automobile engines wear a greater space or annulus exists between the pistons and the cylinders. On each cycle of each piston of the engine, as the air-fuel mixture is drawn into each cylinder and is ignited, resulting in an explosion, apart of the gas formed by the explosion is forced through the annulus between the piston and the cylinder into the crankcase. This blow-by gas, contains both products of combustion and unburned portions of the fuel mixture. Some means must be provided for this blow-by vapor to escape the crankcase, otherwise a high pressure would be built up in the crankcase, causing it to explode, and even if no injury occurred to the crankcase, the build up of pressure below the pistons would reduce the efficiency of the engine. Thus, the typical automobile or truck engine is provided with a breather pipe wherein the breather vapors are conducted to the atmosphere.

In order to attain eiciency it is necessary that engines ybe operated at a minimum temperature. The oil in the crankcase is heated and part of the crankcase vapor of an engine is due to the vaporization of the crankcase oil, although the blow-by vapors make up the bulk of the crankcase breather vapors.

Until the present time the escape of crankcase breather vapors has not been given serious consideration as it was thought to be of little significance. More recently, however, it has been learned that the components making up crankcase breather vapors, especially the unburned fuel components, is a major factor in the production of smog in some areas of the United States. Some authorities have indicated that as high as 40% of the smog producing vapors emanating from an automobile or truck engine, are deposited into the air by the crankcase breather, the balance of the smog producing elements being generated at the engine exhaust.

In addition, it has been learned that the crankcase breather vapors contain a substantial portion of unburned fuel and that by utilizing the crankcase breather the unburned fuel may be more effectively consumed in the engine with an increase in economy.

Others have suggested arrangements of utilizing the crankcase vbreather vapors, such as is suggested in my Patent No. 2,849,994, entitled Excess Breather Oil Recovery System, issued September 2, 1958. Such known systems, although effective to utilize excess breather vapors have certain shortcomings and limitations. A

Some have proposed introducing the exhaust vapors directly into the engine intake manifold. Such an arrangement is operable but does not represent the optimum utilization of crankcase breather vapors. Such a system provides no means of controlling the air-fuel ratio.A When vapors are introduced directly into the intake manifold,

such vapors do not pass through the carburetor. If varying quantities of vapors are introduced into the engine intake system below the carburetor, then varying fuel mixtures are introduced into the cylinders.

which means that a leaner fuel mixture would be produced than would occur when the engine had warmed and the pistons and rings had expanded to' more fully close the cylinders.

As an alternative, others have suggested introducing the blow-by vapors directly into the carburetor intake. This system is functionable to some extent, but, since the crankcase breather vapors carry a certain amount of entrained liquids, such liquids continually passing through the carburetor soon have a tendency to clog and foul the carburetor. Others, in overcoming this objection, have provided certain filtering and separation arrangements whereby the liquids are extracted from the breather vapors before they are introduced into the carburetor intake, but again such systems have not provided adequate means for handling the extracted liquids.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a crankcase recycle system which completely utilizes the crankcase vapors in such a way that no alteration of the air-fuel mixture occurs by the use of the crankcase vapors, and in a manner whereby the entrained liquids in the-crankcase vapors are separated and returned to the engine in such a way that no fouling of the carburetor occurs.

Another object of this invention is to provide a crankcase vapor recycle system which is completely free of `a'llmaintenance and which does not require the use'of an containers which must be periodically emptied.

Another object of this invention is to provide a crankfoul the carburetor.

Another object of this invention is to provide a crank' case vapor recycle system which is simple and economical to manufacture and install.

When an engine is cold more blow-by occurs and therefore more. breather vapor would be introduced below the carburetor Patented Jan. 15, 19,63

Another object of this invention is to provide a crank-"C1 case vapor recycle system which has no moving parts andiI which does not include any filters which must be periodically replaced and which provides a means of complete" description and claims taken in conjunction with the at` tached drawings in which:

FIGURE l is an isometric view of a typical internal combustion engine with the crankcase vapor recycle sys" tem of this invention mounted thereon'. A

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view of the separator portion of the invention.

'FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view of the separator portion of the invention taken along the line' 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view of an orifice means as utilized in one embodiment of the invention.

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view of a typical liquid collector means utilized in one embodiment of the inven tion.

Referring now to the drawings and first to FIGURE 1, an internal combustion engine as utilizedv on cars land trucks is indicated by the numeral 10. Typical of car- 12 and having thereby received a charge of fuel, such as gasoline, `is conducted into engine 10. In order to prevent dirt and other physical objects from entering the engine carburetor and combustion chambers, an air filter 16 is typically provided' and connected to the intake of carburetor 14 such as by a filter plenum chamber 20. The ow of airinto the engine therefore is first into air filter 16,- through plenum chamber 20, to carburetor 12, to iutake `manifold 14 and into the engine where it is burned in Vthe firing process. As previously mentioned, a part of theair and fuel in the cylinders passes by the pistons and enters the engine crankcase 22.

In order to provide an outlet so that pressure will not build up in crankcase 22 to either damage the crankcase or impair the efficiency of the engine, the crankcase breather 24 is usually provided.

Ordinarily crankcase breather 24 discharges directly into the atmosphere. To prevent entrance of insects, dirt particles` and so forth, a lter is usually placed over the crankcase breather 24, but such filter must be designed so as to introduce a minimum restriction to the ow of crankcase` breather vapors passing out of crankcase 22.

This invention provides a means of recycling the breather vapors from crankcase breather 24. A pipe 26 is connected directly to breather 24 to conduct the crankcase vapors to a separator 28. Separator 28, which will be described in more detail subsequently, imposes a chan-ge of direction of ow on Ithe vapors passing there through, which, combined with a decrease in flow rate, extracts any liquids entrained in the crankcase vapors. A pipe 30 conducts the clean breather vapors from separator 28 and introduces the breather vapors into the intake of carburetor 12, such as by connection directly to thek plenum chamber 20 of air filter 16. This is`by way of example as any meansof introducing the cleaned crankcase;breather vapors, into the carburetor intake will be within the purview of this invention.

The cleaned crankcase breather vapors pass into carburetor; 12 and, mingle with -fresh air drawn in through air-lter 16 so that thetotal mixture is subjected to the introduction of fuel, such as gasoline. In this manner there isno interruption or disturbance of the air-fuel mixture by the introduction of the recycled breather vapors directlyv into the engine. The unburned fuel componentsof the crankcase vapors are again subjected to the compression, ignition and consequent burning in the cylinder vchambers so that improved efficiency in fuel economy ofengine 10 is obtained. In addition, none of the-breather vapors are discharged into the atmosphere to cause undesirable effects, such as the formation of smog.

An Vimportant provision of this invention is a means of providing for the handling of the liquids extracted by separator 28. As has been .previously mentioned, the crankcase breather vapors emanating from crankcase breather 24 containentrapped liquids,` such as unburned fuels, condensed water vapor, and oil. It is undesirable to introduce these `liquid components into the carburetor, especially the oil components, since such elements cause deposits which would eventually foul and otherwise impair ,the efiiciency of the carburetor 12. By the provision of this invention these liquid components are routed in a manner to eliminate the `problem of carburetor fouling and ina unique means requiring no attention or maintenance.

As shown in FIGURE 1, connected to the lower portion of separator 28 is a liquid return tube 32 which passes through an orifice means 34 (which will be described in greater detail subsequently) and directly into intake manifold 14. In the view of FIGURE 1, liquid return tube 32 discharges Vdirectly into intake manifold 14 at substantially the juncture of carburetor 12 and intake manifold 14. This is the preferred point of introducing the extracted liquidicornponents into intake manifold 14 since introduction at this point will result in equal distribution of the liquid components into all cylinders of the engine.

However, liquid return tube 32 may introduce the liquid components into any portion of the engine intake manifold 14.

Liquids introduced into intake manifold 14 pass directly into the cylinders where the liquids are subjected to the temperatures of the cylinders, resulting in their immediate vaporization. The liquid, particularly the liquid oil content, serv as a lubricant for the valves and the upper portion of the engine cylinders.

Referring to FIGURE 2, one embodiment of the separator 28 of the invention is shown. In this embodiment a closed separator housing 36 is provided having a first tube member or breather inlet tube 38 extending downwardly into the housing 36 and terminating near the bottom of housing 36. A breather outlet tube 40 extends from the bottom of housing 36 upwardly and terminates near the upper interior extremity of housing 36. Breather inlet tube 38 'and breather outlet tube v40 are thus positioned in housing 36 in an overlapping end relationship, as shown in the cross-sectional view of FIGURE 3. Breather vapors enter housing 36 by first passing downwardly through inlet tube 38. When they reach the lower extremity of tube 38, the breather vapors discharge from the tube and into the interior of housing 36. Because of the relatively large volume of housing 36 cornpared to tube 38, the breather vapors undergo a decrease in velocity and at the same time a change in direction so that any entrained liquids are expelled `as the vapors turn upwardly and then enter the top of outlet tube 40 to ow out of separator housing 36. The cleaned vapors then ow from breather outlet tube 40 and, as shown in FIG- URE 1, through pipe 30 to enter the intake of carburetor 12.

The extracted liquids are thus deposited in the lower portion of housing 36. Liquid return tube 32 is provided to conduct the extracted liquids to the intake manifold 14. As has been previously mentioned, it is irnportant that the fuel-oil ratio of the engine 10` not be disturbed. For thi's'reason, it is'important that only sufficient flow occurs in tube 32 to permit the passage through tube 32 of all the extracted liquids with very little and preferably no passage of vapors therethrough. To control the flow of vapors into intake manifold 14, ow restriction or orifice means 34 is provided in tube 32.

Several methods will readily suggest themselves of limiting the flow in tube 32. One obvious means is to utilize a relatively small tube 32 which in itself forms a iiow restrictive means. Another means includes the provision of an orifice. FIGURE 4 discloses one means of providing an orifice. Tube 32 may be of a copper tube receiving male connections 42 at each end thereof. Male connections 42 are then inserted into the opposite ends of a threaded collar or` coupling 44. A disc 46', of a diameter slightly less than the internal diameter of coupling 44, may be positioned between male connections 42. Disc 46 includes a small opening or orice 48. The orifice 48 thereby serves as a means of limiting the ow of liquid through tube 32.

The flow limiting means of FIGURE 4 is exemplary only, although such means is deemed superior to the method of providing a small diameter tube 32, since any solid elements which may tend to block uid flow in the arrangement of KFIGURE 4 would occur at the orifice 48 where such a foreign object could be easily removed, whereas if a small diameter tube 32 is utilized as the flow limiting means it would `be necessary to clean the complete tube to` remove any foreign objects which had lodged therein.

An additional alternate embodiment of this invention includes the provision of a liquid trap in the tube 32, which is indicatedY in the view of FIGURE l by the numeral 50. One embodiment of a liquid trap `is shown in cross-section in FIGURE 5. 'In this arrangement an inverted trap body '52 is provided. Tube 32 enters the trap body 52 and turns downwardly. Tube 32 continues out the opposite side of body 52 and may include the provision of a flow restriction means 3dof the type shown in FIGURE 4. The lower portion of the liquid trap 50 as shown in FIGURE 5 may consist of a glass cup 54 held in position with a bale 56.

The provision of a visual liquid trap 50, as is accomplished by the use of glass cup 54, has two purposes, iirst, and most important, it provides a means of visually indicating the color of the liquid being extracted from the breather vapors. Generally, when an engine is in good mechanical condition, the liquid extracted will consist primarily of condensed water vapors and some condensed fuel and therefore the liquid will be substantially clear. As the mechanical condition of engine 10 deteriorates, more lubricating oil remains on the cylinder walls as the pistons move downward and is thereby burned by the combustion process. Part of the lubricating oil is thereby vaporized and passes out of the engine as crankcase breather vapors where it is extracted by separator 28. When this occurs, the extracted liquids will be darker and such will be indicated in the visual liquid trap 50.

A second use of the liquid trap 50 provides a means of emptying or dumping liquids extracted from the breather vapors if the user of the recycle system of this invention does not desire that such extracted liquids pass back into the intake manifold of the engine.

By the unique provision of the crankcase vapor recycle system of this invention, liquid return tube 32, extending from intake manifold 14 to separator 28, is subjected to a higher vacuum than occurs within the separator housing 36 so that any liquids which are within the housing 36 are readily extracted from the housing by the high vacuum in tube 32.

This invention provides a crankcase Vapor recycle system which is completely self-controlled, utilizes no moving parts or lters of any kind which require repair and attention, and is completely sealed, that is no breather vapors may pass to the atmosphere.

Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is manifested that many changes may be made in the details of construction and arrangement of components without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure.

What is claimed:

1. A crankcase vapor recycle system for use with an internal combustion engine, said engine having a crankcase, a carburetor, a carburetor intake where air passes into -said carburetor, and an intake manifold where air passes out of said carburetor into said engine, said recycle system comprising, in combination;

a separator having communication with said crankcase and with said carburetor intake whereby vapors pass from said crankcase through said separator and to said carburetor intake, said separator adaptable to extract entrained liquids from said vapors;

a liquid return tube communicating said separator with said intake manifold, said liquid return tube adaptable to return said liquids from said separator to said engine; and

a ilow limiting means in said liquid return tube whereby flow through said liquid return tube is limited to prevent substantial disturbance of the air-fuel mixture in said intake manifold.

2. A crankcase vapor recycle system according to claim l wherein said separator comprises;

a closed separator housing;

a lirst tube member extending into said housing, said rst tube member communicating with said crankcase whereby vapors from said crankcase pass through said first tube member into said housing; and

a second tube member extending into said housing in overlapping end relationship with said iirst tube member, said second tube member communicating with said carburetor intake whereby vapors pass fromy said separator into said carburetor intake, said liquid return tube communicating with the interior of said separator housing at the lower portion thereof.

3. A crankcase vapor recycle system according to claim 2 wherein said housing is an elongated enclosure adaptable for support adjacent said engine in a substantially vertical position, wherein said tube members extend within said housing each substantially parallel the vertical longitudinal axis thereof, wherein said first tube member communicating with said crankcase extends from the top of said housing and terminates near the bottom thereof, and wherein said second tube member communicating with said carburetor intake extends from the bottom of said housing and terminates near the top thereof.

4. A crankcase vapor recycle system according to claim l including a liquid trap means in said liquid return tube, said liquid trap means adaptable to collect said liquids extracted from said breather vapors in said separator.

5. A crankcase vapor recycle system according to claim 4 including means whereby said liquid trap means is emptyable.

6. A crankcase vapor recycle system according to claim l wherein said iiow limiting means in said liquid return tube includes an orifice means.

7. A crankcase vapor recycle system according to claim l wherein said liquid return tube is of a small internal diameter, said small internal diameter forming said flow limiting means.

No references cited. 

1. A CRANKCASE VAPOR RECYCLE SYSTEM FOR USE WITH AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE, SAID ENGINE HAVING A CRANKCASE, A CARBURETOR, A CARBURETOR INTAKE WHERE AIR PASSES INTO SAID CARBURETOR, AND AN INTAKE MANIFOLD WHERE AIR PASSES OUT OF SAID CARBURETOR INTO SAID ENGINE, SAID RECYCLE SYSTEM COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION; A SEPARATOR HAVING COMMUNICATION WITH SAID CRANKCASE AND WITH SAID CARBURETOR INTAKE WHREBY VAPORS PASS FROM SAID CRANKCASE THROUGH SAID SEPARATOR AND TO SAID CARBURETOR INTAKE, SAID SEPARATOR ADAPTABLE TO EXTRACT ENTRAINED LIQUIDS FROM SAID VAPORS; A LIQUID RETURN TUBE COMMUNICATING SAID SEPARATOR WITH SAID INTAKE MANIFOLD, SAID LIQUID RETURN TUBE ADAPTABLE TO RETURN SAID LIQUIDS FROM SAID SEPARATOR TO SAID ENGINE; AND A FLOW LIMITING MEANS IN SAID LIQUID RETURN TUBE WHEREBY FLOW THROUGH SAID LIQUID RETURN TUBE IS LIMITED TO PREVENT SUBSTANTIAL DISTURBANCE OF THE AIR-FUEL MIXTURE IN SAID INTAKE MANIFOLD. 